Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — On August 26, 2024, Tafuna Police Station (TPS) received a domestic violence call from a victim stating she was assaulted by her husband.

The defendant was later apprehended and charged with:

Count 1: Private Peace Disturbance (DV), a class C misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for up to fifteen days, a fine of $300, or both.

Count 2: Assault in the Third Degree (DV), a class A misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for up to one year, a fine of $1,000, or both; and,

Count 3: Endangering the Welfare of a Child (DV), a class A misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for up to one year, a fine of $1,000, or both.

The defendant’s bail was set at $1,000.

(Samoa News has withheld the names of those involved to protect the identities of the victims.)

According to the affidavit, on August 26th, at around 9:51 p.m., a female individual contacted the TPS to report that she was assaulted by her husband in their home.

Police officers proceeded to the call and upon arrival met up with the female individual (later identified as one of the victims) who reported the alleged assault.

According to the victim, her husband got off from work and approached her while she was carrying their 6-month-old daughter. She explained that her husband pinched their daughter’s thighs several times which made her cry. She then told her husband in Samoan “ Aua le aia fua kae o le keige” which meant “not to eat the girl’s shit” [sic].

As a result, her husband punched her five times in the face and she recalled she was still holding her infant child during the incident.

The victim further explained that her mother heard the commotion between her and the defendant and walked over and grabbed their daughter from her. She said that she then stood up and grabbed her phone and went outside of the house to call the TPS, and directed the officers to where the defendant was.

The officers approached the defendant and apprehended him and transported him to the TPS for further investigation.

The defendant was Mirandized and he refused to say anything regarding the incident.

He was booked and confined at the Tafuna Correctional Facility to await the next available sitting of the District Court.

The defendant is identified as a 44-year-old citizen of Samoa.